MOLINARO CLAIMS ON COUNTY PROPERTY TAX CUT FALL SHORT

Despite all the Republican fanfare and widespread media reporting, the so called “Largest County Property Tax Cut in a decade,” is a sham according to Dutchess County Democratic Committee Chair Elisa Sumner.

“How can the County Executive claim that taxpayers would see the largest property tax cut in a decade when actually over 70% of the people in this county saw their property tax bill increase?” asked Sumner.

“For years politicians have misled taxpayers about their taxes.  Spinning the facts about tax rates, tax levies, property assessments, and equalization rates can confuse homeowners and makes it hard to understand their property tax liability.  At the end of the day the only true measurement is comparing your tax bill from year to year,” said Chair Sumner.

County taxpayers have just concluded paying their 2015 county taxes, and despite all the claims by the County Executive and the Republicans in the Legislature, county taxes have gone up for most county residents.

Since Molinaro took office as County Executive, county property taxes have gone up nearly $9 million to an historic high of nearly $107million.

With the information currently available from the tax rolls, most members of the Legislature as well as the County Executive saw their own tax bills go up in 2015.  Only six legislators saw their tax bill decline, four of which were due to a reduction in their home assessment.  In the end, only two legislators actually saw a slight decrease in their taxes.

“Democratic lawmakers warned residents during the budget process that the claims of the largest property tax cut in decades were not true.  The proof is now in everyone’s tax bill.   Most Dutchess County residents saw their county taxes go up. County Executive Molinaro needs to come clean on what happened to the largest tax cut in a decade.  The residents are entitled to the truth,” said Sumner.

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